1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for map display and an imaging apparatus. In particular, the present invention relates to a technique of displaying a map image at a plurality of display resolutions such that the map image is divided into mesh cells each having a size suitable for a selected display resolution in order to easily display imaging locations related to recorded images or a route in units of mesh cells.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, recording media having a large recording capacity have been widely diffused. Providing such a recording medium for a digital camera allows for storage of a large amount of images. As for organization of many images stored in such a recording medium, many methods for displaying imaging locations on a map have been proposed. However, when many stored images are directly plotted on the map, the images cover the map. There is little point to plot images on the map. Assuming that thumbnails or alternate icons are plotted on the map instead of the images, when the number of thumbnails or alternate icons is increased, the thumbnails or alternate icons may cover the map. Similarly, there is little point to plot the thumbnails or alternate icons on the map.
Japanese Patent No. 3742141 discloses a technique of, when a plurality of position information blocks concerning imaging locations close to each other are read out, combining the position information blocks to form one icon and displaying the icon such that the icon has a size representing the number of images corresponding to the information blocks (refer to paragraphs [0048] to [0050], [0055], and [0056]).